UA Little Rock Student Selected for Competitive Summer Research Fellowship
A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has been selected for a highly competitive summer research program focused on organic chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Joshua Pack, a junior double majoring in chemistry and biology, has been selected for the Snyder Scholars Program, an endowment fund named in honor of Harold R. Snyder to support undergraduate students with an interest in organic chemistry. Pack is the first UA Little Rock student to be accepted to the Snyder Scholars.
“I was thrilled to receive this fellowship,” said Pack, a Donaghey Scholar from Fort Smith. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an undergraduate interested in organic research, and I’m honored to be going. When I got the acceptance email, I called all my family and friends and shared the news, and they were all very happy for me. The first person I called was Professor Brian Walker, who recommended me for the program.”
Dr. Brian Walker, assistant professor of chemistry, has been teaching and mentoring Pack for two years and thought he would make an excellent fit for the Snyder Scholars.
“Josh has made outstanding contributions to our research group and is dedicated to the field of organic chemistry,” Walker said. “He worked with me last summer for a collaboration with UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) with the cardiovascular department. He did such a great job over the summer and was very invested in the project. Josh is a very good student, and he’s been very intentional about his career plans.”
Pack will be researching at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana from May 28 to Aug. 2. He will receive a $5,000 award, $750 for laboratory research expenses, and student housing. He will be working with Dr. Paul Hergenrother, who researches the synthesis and evaluation of anticancer and antibacterial agents.
“I’m looking forward to being exposed to a great lab at a university that is well known for organic chemistry research,” Pack said. “They have many renowned chemists with ample resources. It’s a great place for me to learn, get training, and meet new professors and researchers.”
At UA Little Rock, Pack is a member of the American Chemical Society, secretary for the Pre-health Club, and works as a learning assistant for organic chemistry classes. He will graduate from UA Little Rock in May 2025. Afterwards, he plans to earn a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.
“Being accepted to the Snyder Scholars Program will be of tremendous help to Josh,” Walker said. “It’s one of the more prestigious fellowships for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs. With this on his resume, he will have a lot of options in the future, and it’s great exposure for the chemistry program here at UA Little Rock. It shows current and future students the opportunities they can have doing research here with us.”
